Obliviated
by sesamisen
Summary: Silver and green suited her, it looked almost as if the colors themselves were made to accentuate the tone of her skin, the green of her eyes. Ironic. "The ugly and deplorable Morfin Gaunt managed to create something like this..." Tom thought.
1. Chapter 1 - The meeting

It was a moonless night appropriate for that certain day in which no smoke escaped the old hut behind the trees that belonged to the Gaunts. No shout could be heard, no screams or cries, as people grew accustomed to. It was a different kind of evening, one which rarely happened. But they didn't mind it, they weren't curious as to what happened; they only enjoyed it, passing the alley nearby in peace.

The peace was only present to the unconscious ones, inside the hut persisted a powerful and dark power, one never felt before inside. Morfin laid unconscious on the floor, passed out, dirt covered his oily hair and his limbs were sprawled in apparent lack of comfort. Nearby on an old chair sat a handsome young man. His pale skin was the only light to be seen inside. His eyes wandered idly around himself, he was disgusted beyond imagination. His hands hold the man's wand.

It felt heavy, even for Lord Voldemort. He was angry, disappointed, and _ashamed_ of his heritage. They had to die, he kept telling himself. He had done the unimaginable for the first time in his life. He had killed them all.

But it was the right thing to do. They deserved to die. They couldn't appreciate the beauty of magic. He abandoned _him_ and his witch mother. It didn't sadden Tom for a moment, but he couldn't understand why. Why wouldn't you love magic, why would you abandon your pregnant wife on the dirty and cold streets of London in winter? Why wouldn't you feel blessed to meet such a special young man to later find out he is your son?

Tom couldn't understand.

A soft knock broke through the silence in which Tom… His gaze left Morfin's still inert body and looked up to the ragged door. For a moment, he was afraid that the Ministry arrived and swore under his breath. _Why didn't he leave sooner?_ Another knock.

He thought of opening the door and killing anyone behind it. If it really were Aurors, they would have already burst in. It was something else. But who would visit the Gaunts? Neighbors seemed to avoid getting too close to this infuriating hut. Also, Morfin didn't seem to expect anyone.

Another knock, then a soft voice whispering "Morfin?".

Tom casually walked to the door and cracked it open, looking at the person behind through the newly made slit.

It was a girl: a blonde young lady, tall, with big green eyes. She was shocked to be greeted by a stranger rather than Morfin.

She didn't say anything. Her eyes betrayed her surprise and curiosity. Her lips were slightly parted as if she was about to say something but didn't dare. Tom also remained silent, watching her, _searching_ her, memorizing every small detail of her features. He was _learning_ her as he was learning everything else.

The girl closed her mouth and stepped forward in an attempt to enter the old hut. He didn't want to let her in, he didn't want her to see him at all, but something else stood between them.

There was something powerful and fascinating about their closeness, something he never felt before. His magic was _excited_ , it danced and swirled around him as if it wanted to break free and close around her. And _her_ magic, it left him wordless. It was as if his body finally met a missing part of it. It felt uncommon and unknown. But still… familiar.

Tom couldn't speak and for a moment couldn't even breathe. The girl was also silent. _Is she experiencing the same feelings?_ He couldn't tell, but she seemed surprised, her eyes were staring into his, seeing deep into his soul. And he lost himself into her green ones.

For a single second he looked in

When he started breathing again, he moved slightly aside allowing her entrance. She gratefully took the chance to slip inside the dirty hall. Through the open the door of the kitchen, she saw Morfins' body unconsciously lying down. He looked dead; perhaps that's what she was thinking of.

She hurried towards Morfin, her steps hard on the wooden floor, echoing through the empty hut. Then she fell to her knees, allowing her left palm to touch Morfin's cheek. She was checking if he was cold or not, and when she saw his chest rising and falling back, she left a soft sigh escape her lips, but still didn't say anything.

Tom followed her into the kitchen, he too remained silent for watching her was fascinating. Magic all around her, it was as if he found a warm spot to stick to.

Other than that, he believed she was ordinary. Another pretty girl, with no eye-taking features. _How can such a plain girl make my magic go wild?_

He didn't know. Tom didn't know why or how.

When she moved her gaze from the sleeping form to his face, she was intently watching him. _Why is she not saying anything?_ He asked himself. But then again, why wasn't _he_ saying anything? Why was he not cursing her already? Or better kill her, make Morfin believe he did that too. The fingers of his right hand twitched and slowly moved towards his pocket to draw out his wand.

But he stopped. Better said, his body stopped. His magic reacted in an awful way, hurting him physically, stinging his skin like thousands of needles. He didn't even touch his wand, or perform the spell, he only thought of doing it.

Her eyes lowered to his hand and Tom heard a gasp coming from her. Perhaps she now realized he intended to hurt her.

When the girl looked back up, he found it irritating. All the charade of not talking and just staring was starting to annoy him. _Why?_ Why did he find words so useless right now? Why did he think that talking would destroy the magnificent swirl of their magic? Because both his magic and hers were dancing, and touching, and _feeling_ each other in an uncommon but beautiful way.

"Who…", he started after a while.

She raised a slender finger to her lips and silenced him before getting up from the floor. The way her legs straightened and how her saggy dress embraced her body was unexpectedly sensual and Tom found himself watching the grey material waving around the curve of her hips.

They continued looking into each other's eyes. Time passed, felt like seconds, but a moan escaped Morfin's lips as he was waking up. And the magical moment shattered. Tom suddenly felt angered more than curious. _How dare her magic touch mine? How dare she talk to me?_ Who was she anyway?

But he didn't have the time to stay and ask, he had to leave, he knew he had to. He threw her another long look and turned his back on her. Tom knew it was better to shut her up forever and kill her, it was the smart thing to do. But he felt his magic oppose him.

As his steps took him closer to the door but far from her, Tom heard her voice calling him from behind.

"Aurora." He stopped before turning his head slightly to look at her. "My name… is Aurora." Her voice was as warm as her magic.

"I'm Voldemort." He decided to tell her. Why, he didn't know. Reason told him to kill or at least obliviate her. In the same time, he _felt_ the need to answer her.

When he turned once more towards the door, with his hand on the doorknob, he heard her whisper towards him. "Pleasure."

 **October 1st, 1943.**

It was terrifying, but also intriguing. Transferring from a school to another is always difficult, but Aurora had to do it for a long time now, and since having heard of Hogwarts she couldn't keep away from it.

It was her sorting day, as she'd been told. She was hurrying down the halls, but she got lost on the way to the Great Hall. Headmaster Dippet didn't think about assigning a student to show her about since she was new here. But she also didn't thought of asking, so it was not his fault entirely.

When she reached the large wooden doors to what she believed was the Great Hall, she realized how terrified she really was. Behind the large doors she heard agitation, endless murmurs. _How many students are there anyway? Hundreds?_ How would they react? She had never been to a magical school before, what if she didn't act as a student should? She was scared, but also curious and impatient. _I might even make some friends._ She only had a friend before, in her childhood; it was a girl that lived next door.

She took a step forward, placed her palm on the cold wood and pushed. Aurora thought it was going to be hard to open it, but it actually only took a small push. It was most likely enchanted to easily open when required.

Aurora was amazed at the view she got once she stepped inside. Of course everyone turned their attention to her, but the ceiling which beautifully mirrored the night sky, the warmness that surrounded her, the smell of fresh food and the golden light from the candles… it felt amazing.

And her magic was excited. It felt overwhelming, powerful and precious. Her magic screamed at her to move forward, get closer. She had to, it was terrifyingly beautiful. The feeling was familiar, but she couldn't name the time it had happened before.

Headmaster Dippet was standing right in front of her, but several meters away on a pedestal. There it seemed to be the teachers table as they were all lined up, prepared to eat. The headmaster stood in front of them and was just gesturing towards her.

"Everyone, please greet miss Aurora Gaunt." Some gasps reached her ears, then whispers. Of course they knew of the Gaunt family. The mad and degrading Marvolo, Morfin and Merope Gaunt. Who didn't know after all? But Aurora was afraid, the thought of not being accepted among them because of her family was suddenly born in her mind and her legs grew weak. "Aurora, please step forward so we can have you sorted in what will be your house for the next two years." She forced her body to move forward under everyone's stares.

When she reached the chair prepared for her to sit down on, she took a deep breath. Professor Dumbledore made sure she knew everything about each house, and since House Slytherin was founded by one of her ancestors, she was sure where her place would be. She wondered how her housemates will be, if they will befriend her or keep away from her.

The moment the Sorting Hat touched her head, it started speaking. "Well, well… it's been awhile since one of you came to Hogwarts." It said all-knowingly. "I believe it's obvious where you belong." A long pause and then it shouted "Slytherin!" before going back into its unconscious state.

Contrary to her expectations, the whole house greeted and cheered for her, which made her smile shyly. Then she heard the voice of Headmaster Dippet. "Tom Riddle, the Head of your house will make sure you accommodate quickly to Hogwarts and all your classes. I have no doubt you will learn the castle in less than a week." She smiled in his direction then turned to the Slytherin table, she followed his gaze and gasped. "Tom, I leave her in your care." The headmaster continued. The Tom he was talking to was actually Voldemort she met several months back standing and smiling beautifully in their direction.

"Of course, headmaster. It would be my outmost pleasure."

And all of a sudden she knew why her magic went wild.


	2. Chapter 2 - The start

Aurora walked in utter awe to a place next to the so called head of house Slytherin, which was Voldemort, or Tom Riddle, whatever they called him.

Voldemort was actually the son of Merope Gaunt, which coincidentally was her aunt. Awful faith she met on the streets of London. Their story circulated fast enough around the magical beings living close enough to their hometown to hear.

She never knew that Merope actually gave birth to a child, a son none the less… an heir. And she never knew she stood so close to him for minutes that day. But, oh, their magic… it had been an extraordinary experience. Even now, getting closer to him, her magic swirled like crazy all around her. She felt intrigued, relaxed and warm.

Certainly, she couldn't be wrong! Why else would Tom _Riddle_ share the name of the man Merope fancied? He was her _cousin_! The world was so little, what a coincidence! Perhaps her magic reacted to him because they shared the same blood.

When she reached her place at the table, Voldemort, _Tom_ , was standing out of politeness, obviously waiting for her. Somehow she was happy to know someone and not be a complete stranger to this school. In the same time, his smile held a feeling she could not name.

When she was ready to greet him, he talked first. "Hello, miss Gaunt. I am very pleased to meet you. I'm called Tom Riddle." He extended his hand towards her. _He is called Tom Riddle. He denies his true name. Yet he told me that he is Voldemort._ Aurora was so attentive to all the details because he _intrigued_ her so badly.

"I hope you have found Hogwarts to your liking so far." He continued. _Very polite and smiling shyly…_ His eyes were shinning like two dark stars. Watching him, he was no different than _that day_. Hair in perfect condition, all dressed nicely, the perfect used words, and his voice tone not betraying any emotion whatsoever. There was nothing _wrong_ or out of order concerning him. _Nothing._ It was unbelievably irritating, yet _intriguing_.

She took his hand in hers. The touch alone gave her goose bumps. Their magic touched one another for the first time and it felt as if a fire started burning in the union of their skin. It was warmth that fast enough spread from her hand, up to her shoulder and in her whole body, down to the knot growing slowly in her stomach. He pulled his hand free, breaking the contact between them, not fast enough to look suspicious, but not slow enough to make Aurora believe he didn't feel it too. Her body turned then cold, her magic closed around her body, the very moment his skin stopped touching hers. Aurora was only left with a hot pressure in her stomach. Her magic was missing something, _she_ was missing something.

He was pretending not to know her from before, she could tell so much. How could he have done otherwise? It would have inspired suspicion. How come he knew her? Then, he knew the Gaunts as well? And why? Many questions would be asked by curious ears, but she wanted to hear the answers as well.

His father was as dead as anyone could be. Did he kill him? His grandparents too? Was this perfect and young boy a murderer? Did he alter her father's memory so he would take the blame for his actions?

"Yes, certainly, mister _Riddle_." She nodded slightly, and then sat down at the table. The way she pronounced his last name, made his smile only grow.

From her right, a young blonde boy with an outstanding smile greeted her. His posture indicated how wealthy he was.

"My name is Abraxas Malfoy." He stopped for a second, to let her acknowledge who he truly was. "Pleasure to meet you, Aurora." His full lips parted and showed the whiteness of his perfect teeth. It was actually making her uncomfortable. He looked at her as if he expected her to know it already. She was now supposed to be astonished for the fact that she stood so close to him. But she didn't know. His name meant nothing to her.

How could it? Perhaps he was someone important to the wizarding community, but she couldn't know. She was raised by muggles in the muggle way, but she would find out. She wanted to spend all her free time in the library, learning everything she should have learned till the age of 17. She missed so much by not attending a magic school.

"The pleasure is all mine, Abraxas." She answered in return, hoping that her cheeks were burning from the warmness of the Great Hall and not from blushing. Moving her gaze from the perfect Malfoy to the dish in front of her, her appetite started to show. She was extremely hungry.

During her meal, Aurora watched _Tom_ several times. He was the definition of perfection, or that is how he appeared; the way he ate, swallowed, how he used a napkin, how he drank from his cup. Everything was made without a single mistake. And to make things worse for Aurora, his magic, all around him, like a glowing aura, was fascinating. Surely, she could sense other people's magic. That's what she thought of the first time she met Voldemort. But to sense it and to also see it is a different thing.

She could _see_ his magic covering him, like a second skin, dissolving from every single pore of his skin. It was an amazing thing to see.

"You are staring, miss Gaunt." His voice woke her up from the trance she slowly fell into. Tom turned his head slightly to the side, his dark eyes piercing through hers. He was not smiling. Actually, Aurora could not see one single emotion on his face. His features were like carved in stone, unmoving and unable to change; his pale skin accentuated that.

Aurora's lips parted slightly, obviously not responding to his comment. She was still _staring_.

"Are you so impressed with my image that you cannot think of a proper apology for making me feel uncomfortable due to your stares?"

"Excuse me?" She started, but before she could continue he spoke.

"In fact, I do." Aurora raised one of her blonde eyebrows in annoyance.

A few laughs were heard from the table, but Aurora didn't turn in their direction. She realized how pathetic she must have looked like: similar to a fan girl, fawning over him as if she were _enamored_ with him. He most likely got all that from all the girls in his year.

Aurora placed her knife and fork on the used napkin to her right. She decided that the dinner was over for her. When she got up from her seat she drew the attention of several housemates, including Tom Riddle's.

"If I actually think of it, I don't believe I will need help around Hogwarts, especially not _yours_." Voldemort looked at her expressionless as always, but Aurora knew better. Refusing his help was an open insult. "Have a nice supper."

She turned around and hurried through the large doors outside of the Great Hall. Aurora actually had no idea how she was going to learn her way about the castle, but she acted on impulses.

She hated people laughing at her; she had enough of it at home. Muggles tended to place magical-beings in hospitals, thinking they were mad. When awkward things started happening around her, they wouldn't understand why. They could be cold and mean when they set their minds to it.

She sighed loudly then looked around. She wanted to get to Slytherin's night chambers, but had no idea where those were located. And there were no signs to show her the way either – as if she had expected there to be.

"Hello!" she heard behind her and then felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, there was a tall brunette girl extremely, _extremely!,_ beautiful smiling down at her.

"Hello." She replied back.

"You are Aurora, right?" Aurora nodded. "I was just across the table and saw the exchange between you and Riddle. Don't put it to heart; he can be a pretty cold bastard when he wants to be." The girl was so outgoing, it made Aurora giggle silently at that. But calling Tom Riddle bad names made her stomach turn. _How dare she?_ If Aurora was right about their ancestors, then he was Slytherin's heir! This girl just dared insult the heir of Slytherin! If only she knew…

Why did she feel insulted when someone was calling Voldemort bad names anyway? He really acted exactly as this girl implied. Besides, why did it matter that he was the descendant of Slytherin?

"He certainly doesn't look like a bastard." The girl loudly giggled.

"Well, life certainly isn't fair, right?" She smirked in Aurora's direction. "My name is Elisa. Elisa Potter."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Elisa." They politely lowered their foreheads. "Could you, perhaps, show me the way to the Slytherin common room?"

"You mean to the dungeons? Sure." _The dungeons?_

"So… what house are you in?" She surely wasn't a Slytherin, Aurora didn't remember seeing her at the table, plus she was wearing a golden with red stripes tie, whilst at the Slytherin table there were only green with silver ties.

"Oh, I'm a Griffindor, but, please, don't hold it against me!" Elisa laughed at that and raised her hands as to show her she had nothing hidden in her sleeves. It was an act that showed innocence, but Aurora thought she was teasing her.

"Why would I?" They started walking. The corridors were silent as the students and teachers were enjoying their meals in the Great Hall.

"Slytherin and Griffindor are at knives. There's always been a competition between the two." Aurora raised her brows in curiosity.

"But why? Professor Dumbledore told me that the houses only represent a way to unite students with similar characters. He didn't tell me about there being a competition."

"Of course not, he doesn't want to believe it either, but there is. It's always been." She took in a deep breath between continuing. "Slytherin and Griffindor first started it, of course. Well, better said _Slytherin_ started it."

"Really?"

"Yes. He believed that only purebloods are worthy of their magic, muggle-borns and halfbloods not so much." _What? So people were judged according to their blood?_

"You can't be serious." Elisa giggled. It was a silent, but dark laugh. "I think Griffindor didn't share Salazar's ideas, right? That is why they challenged each other?" Elisa nodded as a response.

"The problem is that there are still some left faithful to Salazar's believes. Most of Slytherin house for example."

"That's unfortunate." Aurora lowered her head. She never knew her ancestor believed in such a thing. Blood meant nothing, not to her. Her magic grew because she worked on it. She worked hard. "Aurora, listen to me." Elisa stopped walking. She turned around watching Aurora. She was a bit taller than her, but their eyes met. "Being a muggle-born in these times is not something lousily admitted." Aurora narrowed her eyebrows. "Tom Riddle seems the perfect studious boy who holds no hatred. He helps anyone in need, but we know better. We've witnessed his cruelty. Stay away from him. It was a mistake for the sorting hat to place you there. You seem to be a nice person, don't let them turn your into a true Slytherin…"

"I believe it's too late for that." They started walking again. "Salazar Slytherin happens to be my ancestor."

Elisa's mouth opened in shock forming a perfect "o". "For real?"

"Yes. From my father's family. I was raised in a muggle family. That makes me… a half-blood?" Elisa nodded gently.

"Yes. Not that it matters, of course."

"If they knew that I'm a half-blood, would they turn against me?" Might that be the reason Voldemort was so cold towards her? Didn't he feel the wonders of their magic together?

"I can't tell." She looked apologetic. "We are here." She gestured with her chin in front of them.

There was a set of stairs that went down. The hall was dark; no paintings on the walls, only one shy light could be spotted at the end of the hall, above the only door present. It was a thick, wooden door.

"You are telling me that I need to enter that… _door_?" Elisa gave her a short nod. Aurora sighed. "Fine." _Merlin, make my stay here a good one, please. At least, give me peace here._

Aurora wished her companion a good night before going down the stairs. The only sound heard was the touch of her shoes with the cold stone tiles. It was echoing. She took in a deep breath before placing her palm on the doorknob and opening it. The common room was as cold as she expected, it didn't bother her. It didn't really feel like home, as she hoped, but it wasn't ugly either. There was not a single thing out of order there. _None._ Not a single book missing from the shelves, not a single piece of paper on the tables except for one. The room unbelievably smelled of apples and cinnamon.

Approaching the table she looked down and read the beautiful handwriting. Aurora knew she shouldn't read, but she felt pulled towards it. Fortunately, she had no reason to feel bad, because it was addressed to her. The instructions to how to get to her room, which bed was hers, what classes she had the next day and at what time she was supposed to be there. First on the list was a subject called _Ancient studies_. _History!_ She loved history!

She should have guessed the moment she opened her eyes. She was feeling too energized, too rested. And it was too quiet.

She sat up and looked around only to find the rest of the beds empty. _Oh, no._ She fearfully looked up at the old watch resting on the north wall. Ten minutes to 8! Not only had she missed breakfast, but she was on the brink of being late. It took her 15 minutes to get ready. She exhaled, trying to relax. Alright, it wasn't that bad, _right_? Surely, the professor would understand, after all she was new here.

And that's when she figured it out. She didn't know her way around the castle. She had _insultingly_ refused Riddle's help.

 _Hell, s_ he was going to be so late.

Half an hour into the class and Tom silently giggled. She wasn't here yet, her sit next to the Weasley boy was still empty.

His mudblood professor was going to be so mad. He was understanding and fair, but if he hated one thing, it was the obvious existence of purebloods. He couldn't stand them as if the mere sight of them brought him an unending displeasure. Of course, he admired ancient blood that ran through the veins of – not so many anymore – pureblood students. But in the same time he was a self-conscious bastard.

In a time in which blood separated heritage from thievery, he was a mudblood and so a _thief_. And since life was a bitch, he was also supposed to teach lots of purebloods who knew he was no more than a filthy being about the ancient purebloods; his name gave him away. _Baines_ was not the name of a magical family, everyone knew it.

Purebloods were well-known to the Wizarding world since there were not so many anymore. Mating with muggles and parenting half-blood children tainted their blood. Tom's lip corners were drawn down and back as he wrinkled his nose in disgust. The simple thought of it made him want to vomit. _How can they?_ How could his mother?

Tom sighed again and looked at his professor. It was amusing, of course. If he knew that Tom was the descendant of Slytherin, it wouldn't be good at all for him. He wouldn't be the polite and studious Mr. Riddle anymore for professor Baines wouldn't care.

Aurora on the other hand couldn't hide who her ancestor was. Many of Hogwarts' students may not know about the Gaunt family, but the professor of _Ancient studies_ surely did. It was going to be so much fun. Tom felt in her magic such a strong spirit. It swirled and danced, wild and free all around her, made his skin burn with a heat unknown to him until then. He was _intrigued_.

But why should he be? For all he knew, she was a bastard since Morfin never married. And how come he of all sorcerers decided to sleep with a filthy muggle anyway? He who praised himself to be so devoted to keeping the bloodlines pure. What a hypocrite.

The door flung open and silence covered them all. They silently turned their heads towards the door and were surprised to see a panting Aurora standing in the doorframe. Her cheeks were tainted red, her thin lips parted. Tom watched her from head to toe. Her blonde hair was tied in a messy bun, her shirt had the last two buttons unchecked, leaving the collar partly open, revealing the creamy skin and the prominent collarbone underneath.

Everything about her was out of place, but she didn't seem ashamed of that. She stood straight and tall in the doorframe after she got her breath under control.

Silver and green suited her, it looked almost as if the colors themselves were made to accentuate the tone of her skin, the green of her eyes. _Ironic. The ugly and deplorable Morfin Gaunt managed to create something like this._ Tom thought.

"Miss Gaunt, what an _honor_ to have you arrive in my class… a long time after it had begun." Professor Baines snorted. His lips were curved into a fake smile, revealing yellow and crooked teeth. He was sarcastic, of course.

"My apologies, professor, I –" Aurora started explaining, but didn't get to finish as he interrupted her.

"You lack decency, miss! Have I permitted you to speak?" She just glared back, confused. "No? That's what I believed. 20 points from Slytherin!" _This idiot wants to think he is better than her and so he humiliates her in front of her classmates._ Tom rolled his black eyes. Professor Baines deserved everything except respect.

He had a wry smile on his face. "You believe that you are allowed to disobey the rules just because of your blood, miss?" Aurora's eyes widened at the affirmation. Tom could feel her magic react to the incomprehensible idea. She was confused, or better said shocked. And then her mood turned more towards anger than shock.

"I have never presumed –" she started again.

"Silence! I will not tolerate arrogance during my classes –", but he didn't finish. Aurora interrupted him and that was the worst mistake she could have done. Everyone's eyes widened. Tom just smirked.

"Forgive me, _sir_ , my being late is due to how hard it was to get here. For me, a newly arrived student, Hogwarts is the same as a labyrinth, with many narrow halls and dark corners. I got lost –"

"I heard you meanly refused Tom Riddle's help when he had offered. " Aurora's eyes narrowed and turned towards her classmates, searching for the well-known dark eyes of the previously mentioned prefect. _Say something, come on._ Tom was intently watching her. He wanted her to respond to Baines' comments; he wanted her to be untamed.

He was never that way. He always thought well – perhaps too much – before taking a decision or blurting out a reply. Tom wanted to get near the professors, to have them like him. That way, in the future, when he wanted to use them or their brains, he could. He wanted their favors so he could use them when time came.

But he hated it. Tom hated agreeing to this infuriating bastard, going to Slughorn's parties. He couldn't care less for any of those. _They are necessary_ , was the thought that would always keep him careful to how he addressed his professors.

Aurora didn't seem to have thought of that, or to even care. Now, unfortunately for her, she had no way out of it. She did reject his help. _The half-blood dared…_ Tom would teach her some manners when the time was right.

"Do you deny it, miss Gaunt?"

She shook her head. "N-No."

"So it is your fault then, or am I wrong?"

She slowly shook her head again. "No, professor. You are right." Tom could only think _Don't agree to him. Don't you dare._

She was still upset, but she was no longer a victim. Aurora didn't feel like that anymore. She slowly turned the anger she had for her professor, in her direction. She thought it was, indeed, her fault. Tom couldn't exactly tell how he had managed to guess that change of heart. _Perhaps… her magic?_

"I am glad we agree, now, if you don't mind, I would really like to get back to my lesson." It was an invitation out the door. Baines used to do that when a student got on his nerves. "Perhaps next time you will be here on time." He gestured towards the door and waited for Aurora to catch the implication of his words.

Aurora sighed, and then turned her back and left.

Afterwards, the class returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.

…

Aurora swore under her breath for several minutes after trying desperately _not_ to slam the door of the classroom in _his_ damned nose. That _infuriating_ professor of hers, judging her because of her heritage. It was neither her fault nor her merit that she was born as a descendant of Slytherin.

Who cared about that nonsense anyway?

She sighed loudly. What was she going to do?

She walked out of the corridor, passing by several closed doors behind which were being held. She was the only one wondering the halls.

When she stepped into the portico embracing the courtyard, she was met by the chill wind of the morning and her body shuddered. It was a beautiful morning in a beautiful place. Aurora considered herself so lucky to be there. It was her first time learning at a magical school, after being forced by her mother to go to muggle schools for such a long time. She sighed again at the memoirs that would not let her be. The memories of her past were such a hard package she had to carry every single second of her life.

But now, after 16 years of learning magic by herself she was given the chance to live a different life, a magical life as a magical person. Not trying to hide her power, not trying to be _normal._

And she was ruining everything from her first class. She sat on the sill next to one tall gothic arcade. She searched her bag and pulled out one of her journals. In it she slipped the paper with all her classes.

In one hour she had Potions. To the right, next to her following course was written the name _Slughorn Horace_. He was holding the course then. Hopefully he would be more indulgent. And she surely wasn't going to be late.

"Miss Gaunt." Her heart skipped a beat and she jumped right up from the stone sill. The corridor was deserted, only her and professor Dumbledore. She nodded shortly in his direction, too embarrassed to look him in the eyes. He had been so good to her, giving her the possibility to learn more about magic than she ever could, and there she was miserably failing at it. And from her first day! "Shouldn't you be in class?"

"Forgive me, professor. I ran late." She took the chance to look up and saw a trace of disappointment in his eyes. "I got lost."

"Oh." His blue eyes dangerously narrowed when he heard her reason. "Was not Mr. Riddle supposed to show you around?" She sighed silently, afraid of how much disappointed he could get in such a short time.

"Yes… but I rejected his help, professor." A tint of worry filled his eyes.

"Did he do something?" He seemed worry. _Why would he assume something like that?_

"No, we just had a little misunderstanding with no repercussions at all. You need not to worry about it, professor." Aurora said in an instant, not trying to put Tom Riddle at blame. "I assure you it will pass in no time." Professor Dumbledore shortly nodded.

"I leave it to you then to get things right with him, Miss Gaunt. You cannot walk about Hogwarts by yourself the first few days. You will be late to all your classes and surely you do not want it."

"Of course. I will nicely ask him to accompany me the first week. Thank you, professor."

"No need for that. Now, hurry up to your next class. Horace doesn't mind it if you were late, but let's not make that the case." How did he know she had potions? How long had he been there?

"Yes. Have a nice day, professor."

"The same to you, Aurora."

…

Professor Dumbledore was right about her finding anything _at all_ in Hogwarts. She got lost the moment the corridors filled with students of all ages. It was crowded, people were going all directions and she didn't know who to follow. _If only Riddle was not mean to me the other night!_

"Miss Gaunt." Her heart skipped a beat, _again_ , when she felt warmness on her right shoulder. She quickly turned her head around and saw Tom behind her with an odd smile tainting his lips. How come she didn't feel his magic nearby? Was she so confused that she paid no attention to it?

"Mister Riddle, you have no idea how at ease I am to see you." She smiled back and relaxed. Now, Aurora could finally sense his magic embracing her. _It_ helped her relax.

"And _you_ , miss Gaunt, have _no_ idea how good it is to hear that."

He gestured with his chin in the exact opposite direction. Aurora turned around and followed him. They walked silently next to each other through the crowded corridor. She was still upset by bursting out so quickly the previous time. Tom on the other hand had nothing to say and neither did he want her to say something.

He preferred the silence. And she could tell as much.

…

Potions classroom was situated in the dungeons; that was easy to learn as it was somehow close to their common room. Stepping inside the classroom, they were the first ones to arrive which gave Aurora a little hope. _I am here early!_ A strong musky smell made its way to her nostrils. She closed her eyes and concentrated on it, thinking of what it could be.

"Most likely a _Ebrius Caecus_." Aurora opened her eyes and responded to Tom's affirmation with a delicately raised eyebrow. "Never heard of it?"

"It is made of Wild Celery, this much I can tell." Was her response. She was familiar with plants of all kinds, she really enjoyed studying nature.

Tom was surprised.

"It is not a hard to make potion, I think professor Slughorn showed it to the youngsters." Aurora nodded in comprehension. "It is also known as Drunk in blindness."

Aurora's eyebrows shot up in awe. "It's ironic! The plant itself, also called Norwegian angelica, is similar in appearance with poisonous plants, and should be examined thoroughly before certainly admitting it is."

He was somewhat impressed of her knowing of herbs."It is supposed to make you uninterested in anything that happens around you and to also enjoy being so. For example, you would not care about your grades, or lessons, or your friends."

"So, supposedly it would also make me uninterested in living?" He nodded shortly. "I would become an easy target not only to enemies but also to myself. I wouldn't care if I lived or died… right?" Tom smiled in response. She was one of the firsts to think of that part as well. His colleagues thought of this potion as _useless_ , or to be more exact _boring_.

"Very well, miss… Gaunt, I recall?" It was a man in his late forties, blonde hair still visible under his grey one and big blue eyes. He was wearing a brown woolen suit with a burgundy vest underneath. "I am professor Slughorn, I will be your potion teacher, and I am the head of Slytheryn House." He seemed pretty proud of himself.

"It is a pleasure, professor." Said Aurora sincerely smiling thinking of how pleasant he seemed compared to her previous teacher.

"Your last name… _Gaunt_ , sounded familiar to me and so I looked it up in _The Old Book of Genealogies…_ " There it was again. "There were a lot of great wizards amongst the Gaunts." He said all knowingly.

"Thank you, professor. I am certain there were a lot of great wizards amongst every ancient bloodline and also among muggleborns."

"Yes yes, of course, there were." He went behind his desk and sat down looking through his things. The class shortly crowded and Malfoy passed by her smiling in her direction, but she only responded with a short nod.

Aurora waited everyone to sit so she could find an empty place without taking someone else's. The only one was next to a girl wearing a blue and silver tie.

People watched her sit down but said nothing.

And the class went on with everyone paying attention. Aurora was fascinated.

…

To the other classes, Aurora was walked by Tom, so she didn't get lost and arrived on time. They didn't speak more than two words. Aurora was dying to know why she found him in the old cottage that day months ago, if it was him who killed the Riddles. But most curious she was about their magic swirling together like mad. Why was it like that? Why did it react to _him_ out of everyone else?

But she guessed that he wouldn't answer. Perhaps he didn't even know. _So why bother?_

She sighed and continued walking by his side towards their next and last class which was _Defence Against the Dark Arts_ held by professor Merrythought.

And that's when her problems started to appear.


	3. Chapter 3 - The magic

Professor Merrythought greeted Aurora with kindness and a spark of intrigue in her eyes; she was a small and a somewhat ugly woman, with a wrinkly face and hump pulling at her back, making her seem even smaller, but her eyes were shining like two white pearls filled with light and for a moment Aurora thought that no one else could have been more suitable for teaching defense against the dark arts. _Who else rather than someone who had actually defeated the darkness?_

They were in a hall, a large and tall room, with a long landing in the middle. There were neither chairs nor desks to sit at. The walls were decorated with long and colored strips of cloth belonging to the four different houses. Not much light entered this particular hall, but narrow slits cut through the stone walls and shy rays of sun made their way through the stained glass. Every small detail created a whole which brought a feeling of anguish and restraint. The hall imposed itself to whoever entered it. And a small knot in the depths of her stomach bothered Aurora with anxiety and uneasiness.

She wondered how they were going to be studying and how the class was going to be held since there were no chairs and no desks to sit at. Aurora sighed in irritation; she disliked not knowing everything there was to know. Slowly turning to her right, her brows frowned.

At her side _Voldemort_ was watching in satisfaction around him, his pink lips curled up in a smirk. What was he smirking about anyway? She narrowed her green eyes and was about to ask him for details, but his black curves shifted and let his pitch black eyes meet hers. In a moment, an indescribable fire burnt the insides of her guts.

"I think you can manage now." He whispered softly stopping her from saying anything. In the crowded hall, she barely heard him. "Something requires my outmost attention. Please excuse me, Miss Gaunt." He smiled shyly in her direction slightly lowering his forehead in respect, and then turned around leaving her there, in the middle of many unknown students. Not many, but all of them. In an instant her stomach clenched, her skin turned cold; her magic was _missing_ something. Aurora sighed. She swallowed a newly formed lump in her throat. Why was _it_ reacting in that way? It felt as if it wanted to break free from the bond between it and her body, and go attach itself to the retreating form of _Tom_.

"Aurora", she recognized that voice, it belonged to the girl she had met the other day, Elisa Potter. "I am happy to have the dueling classes with you; perhaps we will do it together." Aurora's brows first shot up in surprise then frowned. _Dueling?_ It didn't sound good. It actually sounded _horrifying_.

"Forgive me, Elisa, but I don't think I understood correctly. You didn't say… _duel_ , did you?" Elisa giggled and then got next to her, their shoulders touching. She smelt of… something oriental, indian... she couldn't quite name it yet, but it tickled the insides of her nostrils. It was earthy and sharp… and it fit the confident girl like a velvet glove.

"I did. This is the _Defense Against the Dark Arts_ course. We usually duel." She talked with such easiness and comfort, as if it really was something the students got accustomed to. And her smell… what could it be? "I am actually curious to see _you_ duel."

But Aurora was not pleased at all with Elisa's answers. Hell, _she_ was not curious _at all_. She didn't want the others to see her fight, she did _not_ fight. How could she? She had never taken a dueling lesson like… ever?

Her eyes searched the tall hall and then they met Elisa's face. She was silent, full lips clenched together in confusion. Aurora smiled "Patchouli." Why was it so hard for her to tell? It's not as if the Asian _green leaf_ it's so common.

"What?" Black brows met each other in an odd frown.

"Your perfume", Aurora said delighted, for a moment she even forgot about the dueling. She really had to start studying plants again, for she had begun to forget. Letting a silent sigh escape her, Aurora turned around to watch the wooden platform in front of her. Most of it was covered in a harsh dark colored and patched material. She couldn't tell if it looked as it had in its first months, but it was obviously wretched.

As her attention turned back to the problem at hand, she suddenly became aware of her body's reaction to the fear of rejection which she felt. The hands of her sweaty palms trembled. Maybe she was lucky enough to watch others duel. _Is there any broken window,_ her whole body shivered. Maybe professor Merrythought was not as curious as Elisa was to see her fight. And the now racing heart in her chest swallowed her lungs in a suffocating embrace. Maybe she would _not_ embarrass herself.

But what if she was not lucky enough? What was she supposed to do?

When everyone gathered around the long landing, they all looked up at professor Merrythought; Aurora approached them silently, remaining in the back in a hopeless attempt to not be seen. She sighed and walked slowly, trying very hard – as everyone was already watching her – not to catch any attention.

The professor was doing the introductions: what they were going to learn and how that year. She named many things, but Aurora couldn't keep up with everything she said _. What were the dementors and the unforgivables?_ She didn't understand why the headmaster decided to place her in the 6th year of Hogwarts if she had no clue about…well _anything_ regarding the Wizarding World. She was as clueless as a new-born.

"I introduce you to Aurora Gaunt, your new colleague. " Without even paying attention anymore, she found herself being addressed to. Her heart stopped for a bit. Her emerald eyes looked up from the floor beneath her ivory shoes to her teacher. Professor Merrythought had an odd smile on her face. Her colleagues turned back to watch her. "And since she is new and we must get to know her, she and Mister Avery here will start this class with a short duel." Aurora sighed and swallowed a non-existent knot at the base of her throat that didn't let her breathe. For a second she looked down at her trembling hands and then back at her teacher.

 _Bad, it was very bad._

Professor Merrythought walked to the side of the platform and waited there. A boy started walking from her left in the teacher's direction. When he reached Aurora he halted bowing his head in her direction before letting out a soft whisper. "After you, _pretty_ ", Avery pointed with his chin to the right. A frown appeared between the two blonde brows of Aurora; she didn't dear look in his eyes. She was so scared that she didn't dare to look at anyone. Taking a deep breath, she silently turned her body. Reluctant steps carried her to the first stair of the platform. She could hear giggling behind her, laughter.

She started going up and when she reached her teacher, the old lady sent her to the other end of the platform. Avery followed behind but stopped a few meters away from her.

They took their places one in front of the other. Avery was a pretty tall, brunette boy. Aurora didn't know what to do next, so she solely waited. He reached the insides of his cloak and put out a dark wood wand. She swallowed, _now what?_. Scared green eyes could only watch the wand he carelessly held in his hand, and thinking. _What do I do now?_ Soft whispers started around them in confusion. _Why wasn't she taking her wand out?_ She could hear the question addressed from all around her.

"Miss Gaunt", Professor Merrythought said. "Please, follow Mister Avery's action and pull out your wand." Her eyes searched for her teacher's, desperately trying to say something her mouth could not, but to no avail. "You are to fight with magic, not with physical strength!" the professor added, for she thought she might have been misunderstood. A few laughs made their way to her ears, bruising her already aching heart. Was she really so weird and out of place?

"Forgive me, professor ", Aurora whispered. Her voice was shaking more than she had imagined. "I-I do not need a wand…" All the laughter around her died in a second. She waited for everyone to digest the newly received information, but she was scared, she was _terrified_ of their reaction. She would be a _weird,_ a _freak…_ She mustered the courage to at least look around her, and see the looks on their faces. Aurora didn't think she was good at reading people, but the way they all looked at her was no longer one of amusement, but of curiosity. She sighed, trying to calm her breathing. "Wands don't… react to me." She turned her golden haired head and hopefully looked at her teacher. _Please. Don't call me a freak, please._ Why did she always have to be the abnormal one, why couldn't she be like the rest of them?

For a moment, old lady Merrythought frowned in disbelieve. Was she going to let a girl with unknown magical abilities really duel another student? What if she couldn't control the magic and it reacted in a messy way towards not only Avery, but many other students? What if couldn't stop it and someone got injured? What if she, Aurora, got injured in her display of magic? The lady sighed. What if she knew? What if Aurora Gaunt was something extraordinary that was not discovered yet, but waited to show the world the wonders of her magic? _What if…_

"Very well" the professor said after some time. She nodded in Aurora's direction, a short and decisive nod. "You may begin." Aurora merely followed Avery's actions for the moment, as she didn't know the steps before the actual duel. They bowed elegantly to each other before turning around and taking their stances.

Somewhere right in front of their colleagues stood Tom, somewhat annoyed for not being the one to fight, but still curious to see her power. For the way his magic embraced hers, he expected a serious fight, in which she would be victorious, a fight in which everyone would see how powerful and alive the _blood_ of Slytherin pumped through his heirs' veins. He wanted them to _see_.

In the same time, he didn't get his hopes too high, what if she didn't know anything? After all, it was her first year at a magical school, and she just acknowledged she had no wand. Aurora couldn't possibly believe that she had wandless magic, right? She couldn't! She could _not_ best him at something, anything.

But he _needed_ to see.

A worried look passed by Avery's eyes for a few seconds. He turned his gaze to Tom, who only silently nodded to him. He nodded back and went on his defensive posture. Avery pointed his dark wand in Aurora's direction, waving it around in front of him. It was a display, his way of trying to scare her a bit, _Look I have a wand. You don't have it._

The boy moved his wand and Aurora could see bright sparkles of light leaving the tip of his wand in a sky blue color. Her body stopped moving, her breathing halted, and her lips let a small gasp escape. She didn't think, couldn't, she didn't have the time! It all happened so quickly, so unbelievably sudden, that her brain stopped working, she couldn't react, she didn't know how! In mere seconds, green eyes closed, as to not see the magic hungrily running towards her, wanting to bite into her skin. She brought her hands in an x form across her chest, somehow trying to stop the undesired magic that threatened her.

Her body trembled as a force tried to break out of her, tried to get out! It was so powerful, so impossible to stop, that she _had_ to let it go. It burned the insides of her flesh and caught her lungs in a painfully tight embrace. She didn't understand what it was, knew only that it caused her a great pain. Was it the spell that hit her? But it didn't come from Avery's spot in front of her, but from somewhere behind her.

She let her body tremble one more time from the unexpected pain, before she fell to the ground on her four limbs, knees hurting from the impact, releasing her chest from the pressure her hands provoked. And then the pain stopped. Suddenly she grew extremely cold. Her eyes flickered open just in time to see the white dust escape her hands before floating fiercely in front of her, forming a shield between the hex and her.

Blue met white in a small explosion, and then it vanished. Aurora watched in shock as the white sparkle remained on its place, but deformed from the protective appearance to the irregular undefined cloud like form. For a moment it twisted and turned. Aurora didn't understand what it meant. _Who did it belong to? Was it hers? Was someone else protecting her?_

She had never seen her magic before; this was the first time so she didn't know how to react to it. She watched fascinated as the snow-like cloud approached her patiently. Then, few inches away from her, it went all over her body, searching. Aurora didn't know what, or whom, she just waited, unmoving. She was too scared to move.

As if it had finally discovered what it was looking for, the magic rested peacefully around Aurora's body, like an aura, caressing her skin, embracing her, as a tornado restlessly moving around her.

She slowly moved one of her hands up trying to break through the barrier. Her hand went right through the magic. She couldn't feel anything but warmness, like a newly discovered heated home in the middle of winter, like a friend arriving from a long journey, like something that she had missed all her life, but didn't know.

It was part of her, _it_ was her home, her blood pumped through her veins, her _life_. She started feeling it, missing it, needing it. She wanted it back, inside her, she could not breathe anymore.

She whispered slowly to it "Come home", it was so silent, only she heard it, or so she thought. The magic abruptly swirled and then closed around her. When Aurora felt her body turn warm again, the magic disappeared. It had found its way home.

Feeling like she just woke up from a trance, Aurora looked up at Avery. His mouth was open in a small 'o' and his eyes wide with worry. Behind him, professor Merrythought had the same expression. Her blonde brows frowned and she turned around to look at her colleagues, perhaps they didn't see anything. Her hopes where gone the moment her eyes searched for theirs. They were all shocked, they didn't understand, _what just happened?_ Were all of them thinking she was weird and out of place? Would they all laugh at her now? Her heart stopped. Would they hate her?

Shy steps made her turn her head around to Avery. Professor Merrythought walked silently to her and the she held her hand down for her to take. Aurora looked worried in her eyes. The teacher only nodded, a shy smile tainting her thin and wrinkly lips.

"Forgive me, profes-", she started.

"Take my hand, child. Let us go for a walk, shall we?" Aurora sat up without taking her professor's hand, she was small enough, she couldn't possibly help Aurora up. "Everyone, the class is over, we will meet again next week." Sighs escaped them all before starting to pack their things.

Professor Merrythought guided her outside the classroom and down the corridor. In no time they reached the courtyard and set on a bench outside under the sun in the cold wind. For a while her teacher didn't say anything, only looked at Aurora, not with worry, or pity, or hatred, but with a kind of affection not even her mother let her cherish. Aurora could feel her heart shatter in thousands of pieces, drowning them in self-pity.

"Miss Gaunt, what you have just done…" professor Merrythought started, but got interrupted.

"Please, forgive me, professor." Aurora let her golden hair hide her face as she watched the stone table between them. If her teacher could see through her hair, she would see green eyes, and salty tears rolling down the now red cheeks. "I will never do it again! Please do not tell headmaster Dippet! He will send me back home, he will send me to that infuriating place in the middle of nowhere. Please…" she was sobbing, begging.

"Child, relax." At her warm voice, Aurora looked up. The teacher had an odd but delighted smile tainting her lips. "What you did was not a bad thing." The girl wiped her cheeks dry.

"It was… not?" Aurora's heart filled with hopeful wishes that perhaps it was normal. She wanted that; the normal life every witch had, not being always fearful that someone may see her and judge her. She didn't want to live as she did months before, in that Merlin forgotten village in the middle of nowhere. She _would_ not go back.

"No. I have seen it before", the student let a sigh of relief escape her lips. Aurora was bewildered. "Not many times, truth be told, but enough times to know that it can happen."

"Who are the others?" Aurora really wanted to meet them, to ask them what more did they find about it. She wanted them to teach her.

When her eyes met the teachers, a shiver went down her spine. For a moment, professor Merrythought's expression turned from sad to confused and to reluctance. "It matters not. They are not in Hogwarts anymore." Aurora felt that her teacher might keep something from her, information she wasn't supposed to know. But she let her instinct be and tried to look satisfied with knowing that she was not alone in this.

"Can you help me control it?" Aurora asked. The old woman's brows shot up in surprise.

"What do you mean?" for a moment old lady Merrythought couldn't understand, but only for a moment. To say that her stomach clenched in fear, is not enough to describe how troubled she suddenly felt. _This girl is oblivious to what's happening to her,_ that was a certainty.

"I didn't do it on purpose, professor", Aurora said. She watched bewildered how her teacher's face changed from curiosity to horror, and then it transformed to one that lacked any emotion. Aurora watched her carefully, trying to understand the changed that had just happened.

"Of course", an odd simple smile appeared on her teacher's face while she nodded in understanding. "If you will excuse me, miss Gaunt, I need to get to my office now." Aurora smiled back.

"Have a nice day, professor." The teacher sat up while murmuring an illegible _you too._

.

.

.

Aurora knew it was going to be hard meeting her colleagues after her demonstration of _unusual_. She didn't really think about it before, since she was more than happy to talk to professor Merrythought about how _ordinary_ her wandless magic was. But since that moment was lost now, she had to find her way to the next class which was _Herbology_ and pretend to not see the afraid and angered looks. And she also had to find her way to the class, because after talking to her teacher, she couldn't find Tom who would be able show her the way.

She was so happy that the Herbology lecture existed, because she loved plants, loved studying them and finding remedies made of natural ingredients. Next to the class' name, was written the place it was supposed to take place in – the greenhouses of Hogwarts – and the professor, which was Herbet Beery, hopefully he was nowhere close to the lovely professor Baines. Merlin, she was definitely going to hate studying Ancient studies. _Definitely!_

The only thing she needed to do was find the greenhouses. But how? She knew she had to get out of the castle to find them, but she didn't where were to. And her colleagues weren't going to help, that's for sure!

Walking down the corridor, she found out that a lot of people were still watching her carefully, whispering behind her back, getting out of her way. Their eyes sent shivers down her back and she suddenly started feeling anxious. She would have loved Tom's help now, showing her the classes and everything, not being alone when all the people glanced at her in not such a friendly manner.

But why? Why did they do it? Professor Merrythought told her that it was normal, right? Or not… she didn't say it like that. She said that she had seen it before. It didn't mean that it was something people were used to. Not at all. But still, why did they need to watch her in such a way, it was not like she was dangerous or anything. She had magic! And she could use it, kind of.

But the looks terrified her, they brought back memories she had been trying so hard to forget. Aurora started walking while looking down at the stone tiles in front of her, rather than to look up and encounter all the judgmental faces. Her heart was starting to ache at the thought of being once more the gossip of the crowd. And not in a good way.

When she bumped into one big body she fell behind, her back meeting the floor in a harsh collapse. A pair of strong hands grabbed her arms and pulled her up so she could stay on her two still working legs.

"Dear Merlin! Sorry girl, didn't mean to hurt you" a somewhat hoarse voice startled her. Looking up a pair of grass green eyes found hers. She was watching a highly freckled face, red bangs covering a tall forehead, crimson staining his cheeks. She let a soft groan escape her lips when she felt a sudden pain in her right hip. "Sorry, girl, but Merlin, you are Aurora, right? We have DADA together."

"Forgive me… uhm", she stopped herself because his name was a mystery to her.

"Matthew." He smiled one of the most sincere smiles she had ever seen. His teeth were white, but uneven in a beautiful and natural way. For a moment, everything around them turned to a blurry mist. They were the only two persons in the corridor.

"I can't really say it was a pleasure meeting you, but hello anyways." He giggled at her poor joking abilities. On the contrary, she grew silent and her cheeks turned crimson. _Perfect, Aurora. You are doing an amazing job at meeting people._

"Did you hurt your head or something?". Aurora let a puff escape her lips, shaking her head. She giggled. Matthew was tall, too tall even for her and she had to raise her gaze to look into his eyes. He had a very masculine and pronounced torso forming a perfect trapeze with his tight hips. He was the real definition of a greek statue. And Aurora loved it.

"You are a very funny man", she stated matter-of-factly. _And a very beautiful and charismatic one._

"I would say _you too_ , but we already know that's not entirely true." It was Aurora's chance to giggle, one that was too girly and so out of her character, that she felt weird afterwards. Matthew didn't seem to notice though. "Where are you going so hurriedly?"

"I have the herbology lesson. I am trying to find my way there." His eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.

"And how is that going?" he chuckled, first trying to be silent about it, but then it was obvious he was making fun of her.

"Well, I'm sure that I'm pretty close." Her statement made him lose the laugh he so hardly tried to contain. Aurora only shot her brows up in expectance.

"You're going the exact opposite direction."

Aurora sighed, and remembered cursing Tom for not being there, not that it was his fault or anything. "That's good to know." She immediately turned around and murmured a _bye_ before walking away from him. She felt so stupid, she couldn't even find her way around, that was how bad she was at this. People continued intently watching her, following her every move and she tried keeping her head up, but couldn't do it.

Steps followed from behind and she heard Matthew's voice as he reached her side. "Let me show you the way."

"Thank you, Matthew."

"No problem." They walked side by side on the crowded corridors. Aurora could feel the smell of his sweat and desperately tried to not pay any attention to it, but contrary to making her sick, it made her feel quite comfortable, as if it smelt as a brother would after a football match. "I forgot my Quiditch equipment at the locker room near the practice pitch, and they are kind of in the same direction."

"Yes, sure." A man's voice startled Aurora and she rapidly turned around. It was the blonde guy from the last dinner. Aurora wanted to remember his name, but couldn't, and he was one of her colleagues! Matthew had an annoyed look on his face. "Weasley", the boy continued.

"Malfoy", Matthew responded. _Malfoy! Yes, Abraxas, right?_ She suddenly remembered.

"Gaunt, come with me."

"It is Ms. Gaunt to you, I didn't know you lacked decency, Malfoy." Matthew interrupted him. "Or did you never have it?" A big smirk formed on Matthew's freckled face. Aurora softly punched his shoulder, distracting him and shook her head in his direction. Then she turned to Malfoy.

"Why would I do that?"

"Tom wants to speak with you." He smiled in Matthews direction, and if looks could kill, Malfoy would already be dead.

"I am in quite a hurry right now." She started. "Do you know what it was he wanted to tell me?"

"No, but he expects you to come if he did as much as ask." One blonde brow gently raised up.

 _Really!_ That infuriating bastard actually expected her to do as he wished! She couldn't believe him! "No." was all she said before turning around and looking up at Matthew. "Let's go, Matthew, please."

"Are you sure, Gaunt?" Malfoy shouted from behind them. "I don't believe Tom will be satisfied to hear that."

For a moment, Aurora stopped walking. She remembered Morfin laying on his kitchen floor, not moving, and Tom, her father's wand in his hand, looking over him. She remembered the news, _The Riddles are dead_ , and she remembered the story of a poor girl, Merope, who left with a beautiful man, Tom Riddle, and found her death on a dark London street. She remembered that Tom, or better said, Voldemort, was not an innocent young man, and that he could be dangerous.

But what could he do to her? She was in Hogwarts now so she couldn't be harmed, headmaster Dippet and professor Dumbledore promised, right? And there were a lot of students everywhere, there was no way Tom could find her alone and hurt her. No, really. Tom didn't have any chance of showing her that _he won't be satisfied_ with her answer.

She took a deep breath and then turned once more around, grabbed Matthew's hand and went back on their way to the greenhouses.

"I couldn't care less what Tom will think." She murmured only for her to hear, but Matthew did hear it too. And somewhere deep into her heart she knew that she might actually care.

.

.

.

The wind embraced them in a cold touch, it went through Aurora's hair and swirled it behind her. Matthew didn't seem to be bothered by it. They stepped down the stone stairs at the entrance into the castle and she immediately noticed all the greenhouses around them.

Glass and steel brought together in an elegant and frail structure. She could see behind the dingy glass a lot of plants, trees and flowers and she could feel a fire burning inside her. She was happy.

"You really like herbology." The boy next to her said. He watched her smile widen showing perfect teeth.

"It is a passion of mine", it really was.

Maybe because poisonous or healing plants, any kind truth be told, were fascinating, beautiful, complex, and Aurora managed to see it, or maybe because she always found herself close to nature when she was alone and far from humankind. It was the closest thing to her, the one which couldn't bring her any sort of pain, the one she could understand and work with.

Nature, and mostly plants, gave her a sort of relief and break from the painful way of living. "I love plants", she added then.

She turned a little to her right where Matthew was and lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. He grew silent, his somewhat long curls shone in the sun with an orangey light, as if they were part of the same thing.

"I'm sorry, you must be late already", she said, her voice suddenly hoarse. He slowly nodded and then smiled to her.

"It was nice meeting you", his smile felt warm, like an embrace on a cold day, and Aurora accepted it and tried to return it in the most genuine smile she could muster. Matthew didn't wait for her answer, instead, he completely vanished, running back towards the entrance into the castle. _Oh, why is he going back? He said that the pitch is…_ and then the realization of his actions made Aurora shake her head in understanding. He was really a nice guy.

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That might have been Aurora's lucky day. The first greenhouse she entered was the one she was supposed to be in. How did she know that? The moment she stepped in, she made eye contact with a man in his forties, tall and too skinny for his height, with already grey hair. He looked at her, seemed to recognize her from the feast, pointed with his chin to some wooden boxes next to him and said, "Help me move these, will you?"

Aurora looked behind her, didn't see anyone stand there so she assumed he was talking to her. She hurriedly left her bag on the wooden long table in the center of the greenhouse, rolled up her sleeves, and moved to his side. She took one of the boxes and followed his actions and put it on the table on the other side of the greenhouse.

"Excuse me, sir, are you professor Beery?" he stopped in his tracks and turned his anorexic body in her direction. How could such a skinny man carry those boxes, Aurora couldn't understand.

"Oh", he started but made a long pause before continuing. "Yes, who are you?"

"My name is Aurora Gaunt", he interrupted her with a shocked look on his face that went away as soon as it appeared. "I am a transferred student… professor Dippet introduced me at yesterday's evening feast…"

"Yes, of course." He continued looking as if that was the first time to ever see her. His lips parted a little and for a moment Aurora waited patiently, being sure that he was going to tell her something of a great importance. But then he suddenly closed his mouth, shrugged his shoulders in a _whatever_ gesture and went back to moving his boxes. Aurora sighed, _If that is not a weird professor, I don't know what is._

"Professor, the class is supposed to start in a few minutes", she stated, looking from time to time to the doorway, expecting to see colleagues enter the greenhouse.

"Yes", was his only answer.

"But there is only me here?"

"Yes well, it seems so", he shrugged again.

When they were done moving all the boxes, Aurora was breathing harder than in the beginning and there were still no students in the greenhouse. She guessed it was supposed to be way too late. She was going to ask him when he interrupted her.

"We are done. Thank you for the help, see you on Tuesday."

"But, isn't there supposed to be a class?"

"Yes well, I announced the heads of each house to let their houses know that the lectures will be on Tuesdays instead of Mondays."

 _You can't be serious._ Why didn't the head of house slytherin let her know? Who was the head anyway? Aurora then remembered. Twenty – or more – minutes before Malfoy told her that Tom wanted to speak with her. He was going to tell them about the lecture.

Aurora seriously should care about what Tom had to say. _Idiot_ ¸ she murmured to herself, and then a face palm followed. _Why are you so arrogant?_

Oblivious to it, the teacher was intently and curiously watching the change of emotions on her face. _If that is not a weird student, I don't know what is._


	4. Chapter 4 - The pain

" _Mother" said a younger Aurora. Her hair was short, almost reaching her shoulders and straight bangs covered her forehead. The woman next to the window didn't move a muscle in response to her, but the girl continued nonetheless. "Why did you name me Gaunt?"_

 _Her mothers' fingers stopped working and Aurora thought that she might, finally turn around and look at her. It didn't happen. The older woman sighed. "So I would never forget" Aurora waited as her mother continued "how come you are here."_

 _Aurora's eyes got shadowed by the usual pain she felt somewhere in the depths of her chest. "Where is my father?" It was a question she had asked years before and never dared again. But today,_ today _she had to ask once more._

 _Mother sat up from her place and the candle's light didn't manage to chase away the darkness that possessed her face. Aurora chocked on a new found hardness at the base of her throat. She saw the slap come, but she knew it was real only when the stinging came._

" _Never ask about that monster again, you filthy… oddity"_

Aurora woke up with a throbbing headache. Her temples burned with an undesired pain and she desperately clutched at it, hoping to banish it away. It was hopeless. All around her was dark and somewhere a clock was ticking. Through the arched window, she glanced at the clear sky, painted with clustered stars. Three other girls slept loudly in the room, making her already sensitive ears throb even more.

Her heart shrank inside the darkness of her chest at the memory, but she stopped the tears before they rolled down her cheeks. No one hated Aurora as her mother did. Her only family at the time would do anything to make a young girl, a _child_ , go through the worst feelings.

 _No_ , she thought, _I will not cry for her and for her torment_. Aurora decided it was best to ignore the past and keep her mind busy. She was always running from it, the memories, the nightmares. Her _mother_ , Morfin they were all part of her broken past and she did all she could not to think of them. And now, _Tom._ He was her _family_ too, right? Was he worth trying to get to know him? Aurora didn't know. All the time she saw Tom, she imagined Voldemort, staying over her father's unconscious body. She sighed. It was pointless to keep thinking about that.

She decided to go for a late night walk and get some air, thinking that the fresh wind might soothe her aching temples and relax her tensed muscles. _Or her aching heart_. Aurora knew she shouldn't leave the dorm at nighttime, let alone leave the indoors of the school, but surely, a late walk to the bathroom wouldn't harm anyone, would it?

Silently she stepped out of her bed and into the faintly lit corridor just outside her room. She was in the girls' wing of Slytherin house, as was expected. Walking straight down the corridor would get her in the common room and then out in the dungeons. The chances of meeting anyone at that hour were minimal, she thought.

In the dark corridor, the bare feet of one lonely girl made little to no noise and she rejoiced. But every move she made brought her a new type of pain from her head. Approaching the common room, got her eyes closer to a much brighter light and they couldn't properly adjust to the new found state.

She never had problems with headaches before, ever. What was the meaning of this one? Why was she feeling so bad?

But the light was not the only thing she found in the common room. The moment she stepped inside, she was met with a curious remark.

"Miss Gaunt" said a very tired Tom Riddle. Aurora hurriedly looked towards the known voice and found Tom sitting at one of the provided desks. The motion sent a new throbbing pain behind one of her eyes. She closed them in a failed attempt to block the ache.

"Mr. Riddle" Aurora said. Her temples were throbbing so bad, she couldn't even concentrate or keep her eyes open. She could not have a conversation with anyone, let alone a very curious head boy.

Tom, on the other hand, sensed her displeasure and grew wary. He watched her slowly stepping towards the closed door.

"Where are you heading?" he asked, before Aurora took another step.

"Why is it any of your concern?", replied an angered Aurora. Her green eyes turned to her right where she found Tom sitting up from his chair.

"I am head boy, darling" said Tom, a small smirk curling the cornier of his lips "I am entitled to knowing of your plans." His hands found the pockets of his trousers and hid them inside.

Aurora growled in silence before sighing. "I need to get some fresh air" she said. The slytherin prefect chuckled softly before raising one elegant dark brown.

"And I suppose you mean to go outside and take it" Tom's bittersweet remark followed. Aurora nodded. "You can't." said Tom and then shifted his full attention to the opened book in front of him. Aurora sighed in frustration.

"Wha-", but _Voldemort_ didn't allow her to finish the sentence.

"It is forbidden to go outside of school during the night. It is my duty, as head boy, to make sure you _don't_."

"What is it that could happen?" she tried once again. "I would be in no danger. There is no reason for anyone to know."

"I would know" Tom said, as his dark eyes found hers again. He raised his shoulders in obviousness. For a moment, their eyes collided together, in a silent but most precious stare. She felt weird, suddenly... _drawn_ to him. Aurora stepped slightly closer, until they were only several meters apart. She was _called_ to him, as if Tom was summoning her. _Is it his magic?_ Aurora couldn't make sense of it. She had _never_ experienced something similar.

The throbbing pain stopped, or was forgotten. Her attention was solely on the boy in front of her. It confused her, _this feeling_. Trying to deny it almost brought to the surface a new kind of pain and strangeness.

" _Tom_ ", his name escaped her lips without even knowing. Tom's eyes widened in surprise at the way his name rolled of her lips, but in a few moments the shock was gone and his dark pools betrayed nothing else. Tom found his composure and broke the connection by shifting his gaze to the floor between them. "Can you feel this?" Aurora continued. Tom watched her for mere seconds before sighing.

"I don't exactly know what you mean" he said, but she wasn't persuaded.

"You know! You must feel it too", her voice betrayed a nervousness Aurora didn't know she had. Was she so sure that Tom felt the same way? Or was it perhaps, that she wanted him to feel it too? "Talk to me."

"I don't find myself interested, miss Gaunt", he snatched the several books opened on the table and put them inside his bag, "I will retire now. Please, mind my advice and don't try to exit this common room" he said while getting to his feet. Tom passed by her on his way to the sleeping chambers. "One more thing", he started, looking over his shoulder. "I am _Mr. Riddle_ to you. At all times." He didn't look at her on his way there, but Aurora watched his back as he faded away into the darkness.

Now, her magic yearned desperately for something that was no longer there. And once more, she could feel the throbbing ache behind her eyes.

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Tom was, for one of the only times in his life, _curious_ and unprepared. The introduction of Aurora in his life caught him off guard, with no understanding of what she was to him. Surely, she was the daughter of Morfin Gaunt, his uncle, so they were related by blood.

He couldn't stand the way his magic reacted to her presence. Tom found it rather odd how it _desperately_ clanged to her, as if she meant something for it. It made no sense. Even if she was a family member, Tom met Morfin before and his magic didn't react the same way. No, it was something different. Something particular for Aurora.

"Riddle", a hoarse voice stopped the flow of his thoughts. He looked to his right and found Lestrange there, a useless and stupid Pureblood. _Necessary_. It was _necessary_ to keep these people around him. He needed them, their influence and their magic. _Friends._ The world made him laugh inside. Tom Marvolo Riddle had no such thing as a friend and he definitely did _not_ desire one. They didn't know that, of course. _His friends._ It was easier that way, to control their actions. He let the smallest smirk curl his upper lips and nodded the slightest in his direction.

"Lestrange", the black haired boy sat next to him at the Slytherin table, as he usually did. Malfoy to his left and Lestrange to his right, the purest of magical bloods. _It is necessary_ , he kept telling himself. And it was. His parentage was most unfortunate, of course. His _friends_ needed not know that. "I heard you will be taking potions this year, as I have wanted you to", the brunette boy raised one brow, before nodding in affirmation.

"Absolutely", Lestrange said. "I shall always do as my lord commands me."

"Perfect", the word slipped through Tom's lips as a whisper. "Avery didn't manage to, it seems", Roland Lestrange choked on his breakfast and turned in a sudden move back to the heir of Slytherin.

"Can Avery do anything right?" said the sleeping voice of Abraxas. "He keeps on disappointing you, my lord. Might as well teach him a lesson"

"Yes, Abraxas, you are definitely right", Tom took the goblet of pumpkin juice and drank ever so softly before shifting his gaze to the blonde next to him. "Make sure he _never_ lets his friends down again, will you?" Abraxas noticed the hidden command and bowed slightly in his lord's direction.

"As you wish, my lord".

It was definitely easy to have people do your bidding. Show them what they could gain and they would throw themselves in the most dangerous pits for it. _Yes,_ Tom knew exactly what they wanted and he knew how to give them the impression they acquired it.

The power belonged to him.

His eyes travelled around the Great Hall for a certain golden haired witch, but she wasn't there yet. Mayhaps, she would be late once more. Tom smirked; it was going to be a very interesting new year indeed.

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Next morning found Aurora on time, as she woke up to the sound of her roommates chattering. They seemed to be gossiping about something, but Aurora didn't find it in her interest to care.

She followed the rest of her house on their way to the Great Hall for breakfast, for she was still getting used to the castle, and soon found the Slythern table.

"Sit with me", said one of her roommates. She was rather short and chubby, but her facial features looked lovely. She smiled to Aurora and extended her hand. "We didn't get the chance to meet properly, my name is Eleanor Parkinson."

Eleanor's hand was cold, but the happy look on her face made up for it. Aurora smiled in exchange. "I am Aurora. Forgive me for not exchanging pleasantries earlier."

"Do not trouble yourself. You must have had some very tiring first days", Aurora nodded slightly. "Come!" She followed Eleanor to the end of the table, where they sat amongst other girls. Greengrass, Black, Rosier were just few of the surnames Aurora had to remember.

"All purebloods", Owen Black said. Only those were sorted into Slytherin. "What about the Gaunts, Aurora? We never really hear anything about them."

"I don't believe there is much to say" Aurora answered, troubled by the girl's sudden interest in her family's history. Would they turn their back on her if they knew she was a halfblood? They certainly didn't act like that towards Tom. Perhaps they didn't know about his heritage either.

"You are so secretive", Owen started again, but was soon interrupted.

"Don't worry, we will not press you into saying anything you don't wish others to know", Eleanor turned to Owen who only nodded in response.

"Thank you for understanding", Aurora said, her heart skipping a beat. This was alright, now she didn't have to talk about Morfin, or her mother. The past haunted her every step, always behind her ready to break her walls. Talking about it only made Aurora live too much in it. And she couldn't do that anymore.

She looked down at her plate and was once more surprised to see what a rich meal the students had. Most of the things, Aurora had never eaten before. _It's alright,_ she thought. _You have plenty of time now to try them all._

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The first classes went by in no time. Aurora tried to always sit in the front, but sometimes the places were already taken when she managed to get there. It seemed she had the same schedule as Owen, who was nice enough to walk with her. Of course, she could always go to Tom and ask for his company, but didn't want to trouble him and needed a break from his odd influence to her magic.

Aurora enjoyed Hogwarts so much that her lack of the past 5 years saddened her. She would have been so happy here, near the same kind of people. Not hiding. Not being constantly afraid. But there was nothing more she could do now. _Stop dwelling in the past_ , she kept reminding herself.

"Miss Gaunt", said a manly voice. She looked up from her desk and found the familiar blue eyes of Matthew… Wes… something she couldn't remember. Aurora smiled at him. "Could I, perhaps, sit next to our new colleague?" She nodded.

"Please call me Aurora and I shall call you Matthew", she started. "If that is alright for you."

"Sure is, Aurora", the boy replied. He sure was handsome.

"Forgive me…", Aurora started and Matthew widened his eyes for mere seconds. "for yesterday. I troubled you."

"Don't you worry about it! It was my pleasure" he smiled wholeheartedly and it made Aurora's heart fluster. "How do you find Hogwarts? Is it to your liking?"

"Definitely", she said enthusiastically.

"It must be a first-year kind of thing" Matthew said in return and Aurora laughed at his remark.

"Most likely, but let me live in my dreams."

"Hopefully they don't turn up to be better than your reality", he said. Aurora felt her heart sting again, her mind returning to times where her dreams were, indeed, better than the life she was living. Horrible times. _The past_ … it was a heavy burden, but she could definitely carry it. That's what she kept telling herself. Hopefully, it would be true.

"Good morning, class" an old professor blurted out while walking through the open door. Around them silence fell and everyone got to his seat. "Today, we will be talking about dragon heart and its benefits for…"

And the class went on and on and Aurora could not hold her smile back at how perfect this school was.

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Matthew insisted on showing Aurora around. He introduced her to the moving stairs and how to be careful around them; he showed her the Astronomy Tower and to her insisting the library.

The library was extraordinary. In a high, narrow place, thousands of volumes presented themselves. Big desks were situated between the shelves, in order to provide students with a place to study and read. It was a dim light going in through narrow arches. Aurora loved it. She didn't exactly know what she was looking for, but she had all the time to find out.

At the front desk, an old lady sat with round glasses on her straight nose. Aurora went to her in order to fill the registration files. It didn't take long at all, but Aurora grew impatient, anxious to travel through all those books.

"Here you go, miss Gaunt", the old lady gave her the identification documents. "Remember to study in silence and not disturb other students. You can borrow books. And you are definitely not allowed in the restriction section. That is only available for prefects and teachers."

"Yes, ma'am" and off she went. It took her awhile to realize how the books were placed. Not by author, but rather by sections and genres. Herbology was such a small part that it troubled her.

"Hidden passion, is it?" a manly voice said. Aurora jumped at the sudden sound and turned towards him. It was Tom of course. His dark hair rested neatly arranged on his forehead. He was reading something, but she couldn't tell at that distance.

"Not hidden anymore, it seems" said Aurora, a small smile curving her lips upwards. She closed the distance between them and sat in the chair in front of him. "' _History of the Ancient Wizards_ '", she read the title of his reading choice. "Is it any good?"

"If you forget that the author is a contemporary and has not actually met _any_ of said ancient wizards" Tom replied, half grinning.

"Why read it, then?"

"We could at least know their names" he said "their deeds."

"Does it say anything about Gaunt ancestors?"

"Not much" Tom said in an unusually soft voice. He turned his gaze to hers. "Only about how terrible they were". A well-known ache found its way to Aurora's heart and the smile that taunted her lips vanished in split seconds. "Obviously, the not-so-wise author didn't meet you before he died. He might have changed his opinion."

"He didn't have the pleasure of meeting you either" Aurora returned and watched his face change to a blank one.

"Misfortune sounds like a better word to describe his luck of not knowing me."

"Do you always act so tough or only in front of family?" Tom's eyes widened for the slightest moment before changing to their usual stance. He glanced around them to make sure no one actually heard her. "It's only us here, Mr. Riddle"

"You can never know what's hidden behind certain shelves" the Head Boy started, "or smiling faces". His black eyes seemed shadowed, but the hint of a smile on his thin lips made Aurora wonder. Was he talking about other colleagues, her… or himself?

"I know" Aurora said, opening an herbology related volume _'Recipes to Magical Healing'._ She felt the uneasy stare of her cousin and continued. "I sense magic", her voice was so soft he might not have heard her. But shifting her gaze towards him, she saw his black eyes studying her. "Right now, there is only one I feel and that is you."

"My magic, you mean"

Aurora raised one elegant brow. "You _are_ your magic" she said in disbelief. "I hear people talking around me about how they want to grow their magic and become more powerful. It saddens me" Aurora studied the old, yellowing pages and her gaze travelled fast around the page and illustrations. "We all are magic. It is what keeps us going… breathe."

"I could easily contradict you, Ms. Gaunt" Aurora paused on studying the book and looked at him. "If it were true, there would be no squibs and muggles around us, would there?" The tiniest of smirks captured his lips and Aurora admired his handsomeness before speaking back.

"Perhaps they have not yet awakened it."

"Perhaps they do not deserve it" replied Tom, with a growling voice. "Perhaps the gods know better than to allow them the use of magic." For a moment, Aurora thought of her mother and how much more painful the abuse would have been, had she had magic at her disposal.

Aurora never thought of that. Why would such a huge number of people not have magic. She didn't know what to answer so she shifted her attention back to the book in front of her.

Some time and pages passed before Tom spoke again "I have a question for you, if I may."

"Go ahead, Mr Riddle" Aurora said, not really paying attention anymore.

"Why did Headmaster Dippet considered placing you in our year instead of the first?" she glanced at him. She remembered her encounter with professor Dumbledore, his explanation and the headmaster's decision.

"They said it's where I belonged" Tom raised a dark eyebrow, still waiting. "That is all."

"That is all? Did they even test your knowledge of magic before making that decision?" his stare was searching. She didn't have the time to answer before he giggled, an all-knowingly laughter. "Of course not, it was stupid of me to even ask."

"Why would you say that, Mr. Riddle?"

"Because, Miss Gaunt, I have been paying attention to you in all our courses." Tom softly closed his chosen book and placed it in front of him. He titled his head slightly to the side and smirked. "It is so obvious and pretty disturbing too, how little you know and understand from everything. A small tremble went down her spine and her heart ached once more in a very familiar way. "Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration… you seem so interested in all of them, really, but I can easily tell there is not one which you truly get. Except Herbology, of course, which is a no-longer-hidden passion of yours."

Aurora felt the tension inside her chest grow, at a very rapid pace and her heart shrank in disappointment. Tom Riddle was right. She wanted to learn so much more and wanted to understand the curriculum, but it was so difficult to pay attention to all the new information. 5 lost years. She lost 5 years and all her colleagues were 5 years ahead of her. No matter how hard she would try, Aurora could never get the time to be on their level.

"I find no reason for your interest in my knowledge, Mr. Riddle" Aurora said, closing the book in her lap. She sat up and went back to the Herbology shelf, in an attempt to place it back.

"You may do a Mending Spell, Aurora", she fought the urge to face him. "It's supposed to levitate an object to its original place." She heard the chair move as he sat up too. "My mistake, you would know that. It's a first's year spell."

When she could no longer feel him, Aurora placed the book back and collapsed to the floor. Aurora found in time that pain was the only thing her _family_ ever made her feel.


End file.
